Las Noches: Orphanage?
by JrockPrincessAshe
Summary: Orihime had struggled with her inner conflicts after Sora had died. She was torn between her usually bubbly self and something much darker. When two strange people show up on her doorstep only a month after her brothers passing, she exclaims that her kind heart has withered and faded. Is that the case? UlquiHime. With slight side suggestions. OOC(Out Of Character) Fanfiction.
1. Chapter 1

**As you all know, I don't own Bleach. And this is also my FIRST Bleach Fanfic, YAY! And I know that Orihime was not sixteen when her brother died. But this is my story, and some things are going to be different. Like in this story, there are no Soul Reapers and stuff like that. Just me making a creative story that has similarities to the anime. I just wanted to portray it differently. And YES, this is a Ulquihime story. Even though he is not in the first chapter. Be patient my readers. Mind the errors. I need a beta. :P**

**Some Japanese vocabulary I used That you will need to know, If you don't already (Sorry if its not exactly right) :**

**Iomuto- Younger sister**

**Hime- "Princess" "Lady" or "women of high birth" However you want to portray it. It still means someone of high importance.**

* * *

Today was a day of complete sorrow for the young red headed woman. The life she had been so happy to lead was ripped from her the moment her brothers casket was lowered into the cold stiff ground. She had yet to cry in front of any of her brothers friends and distant family members that had joined her for the ceremony. The young girl could hear them whisper unnerving things about her. About how she had not shed any tears for her brother that she was _supposed_ to care for so much. If only they knew. But she had made a promise to herself after her parents had died, that no one would see her cry so pitifully again. She would not give them that satisfaction. Once behind closed doors however, the tears would never stop. That is why, before leaving her now meaningless empty apartment this morning, she had let loose so many aching sobs that her body trembled in strain. If any one was smart enough to actually pay close attention to her, they would see the makeup covered sleep lines and the slightly puffy bags under her eyes. Or the way her knees would buckle when she numbly walked away from her brothers open grave. But no one seemed to notice her anymore. She faded in with her surroundings.

Orihime was used to the fake kindness she had gotten from everyone. Giving her looks of fake pity and concern. They were just glad it wasn't their loss. No one felt as heavy as her. She could read right through them. It was a skill that she had been born with, reading people's eyes. This was something she realized after her parents had died. Even though she was quite young then, and didn't fully understand. The sad little girl was angry at the fact that after her parents funeral was said and done, no one even talked about them again. With the exception of her and Sora, of coarse. It was like they never existed. Why would it be any different after Sora's passing? And she quickly realized it wasn't. She had found herself growing more angry than sad as the days progressed. Thinking back to when she was a child. She had felt the same way.

_Only two weeks after their parents accident, her great aunt had come to visit. But when the young girl had brought up her mother, the older lady ignored her and continued a conversation with Sora about trivial matters, such as money. Orihime still recalled the heat rising to her face as she let out a throaty growl at the older lady, causing her to be the center of attention between the older pair. _

"_Why does everyone want to forget?!" The usually shy girl had yelled. Not giving them a chance to respond, she had ran to her room and slammed the door, just in time for the stinging in her eyes to return. Orihime wasn't sure why she was crying. Of coarse she was still sad for her parents loss, but she had suspected that it was also mixed with anger. Anger and hatred for everyone but her brother. This was the first time that the kind hearted and usually blithe girl had actually felt hatred. It was new to her, and she had grown to dislike the feeling of it in her chest cavity. It left a _hallow_ feeling and the intensity scared her. _

_That night Sora had come to her. He had laid one of his large palms on the small girls forehead, letting his fingers ruffle and disturb the layout of her bangs. But she wasn't mad. Orihime just stared up at her brother with sad eyes and softly whispered. _

"_Why, brother? Why must they all act this way?" Sora leveled his face with hers and his eyes showed a kind seriousness most did not possess. _

"_People must forget to ease the pain, hime." Her face softened a bit at her nickname. Something she had only allowed him to call her. But when she took in his other words her face wrinkled in confusion. Sensing her distress, he had continued. _

"_But I'm glad that you are not like those people. I want you to remember. Because you are stronger than they are. Not everyone will do things the same as you, hime. But that doesn't always make their actions wrong, even if they seem cruel to you. You are the strongest person I know, imouto" She nodded at his words, even though she did not believe him. Orihime was anything but strong in her opinion. Crying made her feel weak. So, long after her brother retreated from her room, she had silently in her bed. From then on she vowed to herself never to show such weakness in public again. Under any circumstance. She would toughen up and face the world. But not lose her bubbly innocence. Because it seemed to make people happy to believe that she was so light hearted about everything. And the fact was, that she still was kind hearted, but there was no reason she couldn't also be strong willed. And that determination is what comforted her as she fell asleep that night_.

* * *

One month, six days. That was how long Sora had been gone from her. No one would hire her because of her age. There were enough adults around here that didn't have a job, so no one even wanted to look at a sixteen year old who had no family to support. They probably assumed she just wanted money to blow on useless things. Luckily she had a trust fund that was given to her the day after Sora's passing. She had been living off of it, but it was going to run out soon. Being from a poor family, they didn't have much.

The money, she realized, was the least of her problems as a knock sounded at her door. Answering as fast as she could, she stared at the lady holding a brown clipboard, dressed in what looked like a business attire. Long navy blue skirt, matching button up coat that was halfway covering up a white old fashioned looking blouse, and fancy yet professional looking heels. The woman looked to be in her mid thirties. The young girl looked to the woman's right and saw that there was a strange looking man in semi casual clothing standing off to the side. Orihime put on her fake cheerful face, even though sensing that she was not going to like this woman in the slightest.

"Good afternoon. May I help you?" She smiled brightly at the woman. The male seemed to address his attention in their direction, now hearing a conversation take place. His face looked uninterested, and yet had a faked amusement to it. Orihime felt a chill run down her spine as he smiled at her.

"Yes, I am from the state. Unfortunately it is illegal for a person of your age to be without a legal guardian, Miss Inoue. But we also do not like placing older children, such as yourself, into foster care when you will legally be able to take care of yourself in a few years anyway. This gentleman to my right is a co-owner to a program that specializes in such cases. His name is Gin Ichimaru." Hearing his name be announced, he smiled wider. This woman wasted no time getting down to business.

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Inoue." She swallowed down the shudder that was threatening her body. His voice was even more eerie than his smile. But the girl refused to show such weakness. She gave him a lighthearted smile.

"Please call me Orihime. But I'm afraid I am going to have to reject your offer. I seem to be doing just fine on my own. Thank you anyway." She was about to close the door when his hand intercepted the movement.

"Unfortunately, _Orihime_, that is not your decision to make. You will be going with me to Hecto Mundo." She couldn't help it. The sound of her name off of his tongue made her eye twitch and she wish she could take back the invitation for him to call her such. Hecto Mundo was six hours away from here. That was so far from her friends. Everything that happened in the moments next seemed to blur, as she just stood there blankly. Orihime couldn't think properly anymore. She dropped her innocent façade. These people wanted to take her from her home. Away from the little friends she had. What would Tatsuki, Chad, or Ichigo do if they found out she didn't say goodbye. Her heart ached when she thought of not being able to see Ichigo anymore. The boy she had grown so fond of, even if he hardly noticed her all the time. A pang of regret hit her. She had pushed her friends aside after her brother had passed. And now she had to leave them. Her life was cruel indeed.

"We will give you some time to collect your things. I will wait in the car. Gin, will you _supervise_ her?" Supervise. Like she was planning on running. Did she have that choice? Every time the lady spoke, Orihime had the urge to reach out and strangle the air out of her. She just had one of those annoying voices that was laced with everything she loathed about humanity. But they seemed to give her no choice in the matter. There was no way out of this one. She closed her eyes momentarily, feeling a heavy strain on her lids. But they quickly shot open as she felt a slender hand on her back, ushering her forward. She quickly snapped away from the hand in utter horror and faced the man.

"Don't touch me." She said flatly. All he did was smile in his grotesque way and nod in understanding. She walked down the hall and started packing her things grudgingly. The apartment was silent. She couldn't help but feel unnerved under his gaze, although she could not see his eyes. Orihime sighed heavily and decided that if she didn't break this silence she was going to gnaw the inside of her cheek to shreds.

"What will happen to the rest of the stuff in my apartment? Like my food and such?" The girl was genuinely curious. This was her stuff, after all. The man waved his hand in a gesture that showed the girl he held little interest in the matter. But he answered anyway.

"Lord Aizen will have people dispose of the unnecessary things such as food and essentials. Then bring some familiar furniture to your quarters to make you feel more at home. The rest will go in a storage facility directed on the grounds of Las Noches and will be returned to you when you reach the legal age." His tone reeked of boredom. And it almost made her doubt asking her next question. Almost.

"Will I be able to say goodbye to my friends before I leave?" His demeanor changed. Had her question caught him off guard? He looked down at the watch he had on his right wrist.

"We do not have time for unnecessary things. But I suppose I will allow you to say goodbye to at least one person. But just one." Orihime narrowed her eyes. She had seen right through his nice appearance the moment she laid eyes on him. He must have caught on that she knew because now he was showing her no more fake smiles or what he had considered _polite gestures_. She decided to voice this.

"I see you waste no time in acting yourself once someone figures out how utterly cruel you can be." She zipped up her last suitcase and began to pick it up off of her bed. When she turned to face the exit her eyes were mere inches away from his chest. His long finger landed under her chin and lifted her head so she was looking at him. She gasped. His eyes were slightly ajar and morbidly intoxicating blue eyes stared back at her.

"My my, you are quite intriguing, Miss Inoue. Forgive me for my rude behavior. Let me carry your bags." His voice and eyes portrayed the exact opposite of what he had said. So much that she could hardly remember what he actually had said. Instead she heard his voice inside her head saying: _You have no idea how cruel I can be. _He grabbed her bags from her hands and started walking towards the door. Picking up the book bag that was on the floor also filled with her stuff, she slowly fallowed the man, switching off the light to her now almost vacant room. Her mind focused on her next problem. Who was she going to say goodbye to?

* * *

It did not take her long to figure out. She would pick Ichigo. Of coarse Tatsuki would be a little angry with her, but she would come to understand. After all, Tatsuki did know how fond the girl was of Ichigo. She would defiantly understand. All her movements and thoughts slowed along with the car. Orihime sat there for a second, peering out the car window. The longer this took, the more time she would get to spend here. But she was pulled out of that thought when Gin spoke from the passenger seat.

"Would you like me to accompany you?" He smiled again, knowing it would push her into action.

"That wont be necessary." Was all the girl whispered as she got out of the car and headed towards the door. Orihime immediately straightened her posture as she stopped in front of the door, knocking in a hard but friendly way. She closed her eyes for an instant and as footsteps were heard scuffing behind the door she opened them again, returning her bubbly smile. Isshin Kurosaki was the one who had opened the door. He gave her a big toothy grin and spoke too loudly. But it was nice to hear such a genuine kind voice for a change.

"Orihime! What brings you here at this time of day? Could it be that my son has actually started to attract girls? Or is it because of his handsome father!" Orihime gave a fake blush.

"If its not too much trouble Mr. Kurosaki, I'd like to speak with Ichigo for a moment. Can I come in?" She smiled at him shyly.

"Why of coarse young lady! He is in his room." He then began giving her the simple directions to his bedroom and she fallowed them accordingly. Standing in front of his door, she hesitated for a second. Breathing a sigh, she decided that it would be best to just knock. Not wanting to run into his sisters or dad while standing there like an idiot. So she did so. This time her knock was softer. A muffled 'Come in' was heard and she entered slowly in time to see him sit up on his bed. The shock to see her of all people evident on his face.

"Orihime, What are you doing here?" He rubbed the back of his head in a sense of clueless-ness, trying to come up with a reason for her sudden appearance. Had he forgotten some special occasion? Surly not.

Orihime was in fact in love with this man. It was a shame that he was so ignorant of everything about her. The girl blushed, but it wasn't faked this time. Her eyes seemed to shyly smile at him as she rubbed the back of her own head in nervousness.

"Well actually, you see." She gave a sheepish laugh and continued.

"I'm sorry to drop in on you like this. But I've come to-" She hesitated, sure he could feel her distress. Her thoughts were confirmed when he stood.

"What's wrong, Orihime?" Ichigo's brows furrowed. And Orihime decided not to hesitate anymore. She just worried people when she acted like this. Giving him another one of her fake 'everything's fine' smiles, she continued.

"I've just come to say goodbye. I'm leaving for Hecto Mundo as soon as my goodbyes are in order." He did not look pleased. It made her heart jump, even though she knew it wasn't out of the same love she felt towards him. He was just distressed over loosing a friend.

"What do you mean leaving?!" He sounded angry. She told him everything, but made it sound like it was of her own free will. She couldn't let him think she had no choice in the matter. Even though her heart yearned to watch him fight for her to stay, she couldn't allow it. She would no longer burden her friends.

"You see, you are the only person I have time to say goodbye to. Your house was on the way...So if you wouldn't mind, could you tell everyone my goodbyes. Especially Tatsuki…Um...I have to get going." He nodded in understanding, although looking sad. She hugged him and turned to leave, surprised when he fallowed her down the stairs. She was even more surprised when in the front doorway stood Gin, talking calmly with Ichigo's father, who apparently did not catch on to his ruthlessness as Orihime did. Gin had taken the liberty to explain her situation to Isshin, Orihime had guessed because he looked at her solemnly but still in his goofy way.

"We're gonna miss such a beautiful girl around here, aren't we Ichigo!" He elbowed his son in the side in which Ichigo made a sour face at.

"Yeah." Was his simple reply. She couldn't take being around him any longer. It was tearing her apart on the inside. Sensing her distress, Gin calmly stated that they needed to get going. But she doubted that he was doing so to save her from her sadness. No, he probably figured she would run to Ichigo and plead for him to save her, to let her stay. But what Gin didn't know is that she would do no such thing. Her will to not be a burden to the ones she loved was too heavy for that notion. But the less Gin knew about her, the better. And she would be damned if she let anyone else at this so called institution know anything about her as well. Orihime Inoue was now a cold case to see. No more bubbly girl, no more weakness. These people would not see the caring girl she was. Orihime simply did not exist anymore. And for the first time since Sora died, she had realized this.


	2. Chapter 2

** I know this story is sort of slow moving, but be patient with it. I tend to rush my stories and I want this one to be different. Let's get right down to business.**

* * *

Much to the sixteen year old's dismay, the car ride had taken a slight detour. Orihime had felt like her death sentence was being dragged out in order to make her suffer. The walk to her own personal noose was slowing in pace. It wouldn't of bothered her as much, if she had known that the nameless lady would be with them the whole drive. But Unfortunatly, that was not the case. About two hours into the drive, the car had passed through a city and then had stopped at a very tall building. Although Orihime had found the older lady to be most unpleasant, she did not want to get stuck with the silver haired man for four more hours alone. The feeling of having to spend that much time with the man in the first place had made her whole body grow rigid. But here they were, him driving and her in the passenger seat, reluctantly moving forward.

"Ah, now we can get to know each other better without the formality of the government breathing down our necks. Wouldn't you agree?" It wasn't until he had looked at her quickly that she noticed her hands were balled into fists. She released the strain on her white knuckles and scooted towards the door as close as she could.

"I will take that as a no, then." Gin had put a fake sense of hurt into his words, and something hit her. Fake. Everything about this man was not right. From his smile to his posture. He was dangerous. And for the first time since the pair had stepped onto her porch, Orihime realized that something was utterly wrong with the way things were playing out. There was no way that this cruel man could be a co-owner of an organization that was supposed to do good. And in that moment, she had seen herself more like a prisoner than an orphan.

The ride had been eerily silent. He refused to turn on any sort of music and was even more reluctant to answer her questions. But as they pulled down a narrow road, that seemed like it stretched on forever, the girl held back the urge to pass out. In a way, she would be glad to get out of the small vehicle and stretch her tight muscles. And she was even more overjoyed to get away from Gin. Or so she thought.

As the colossal building came into her sight, her heart began to pound against her chest. What had she gotten herself into? Orihime desperately wanted to turn back to the point she was in Ichigo's bedroom. What she would give to be there, begging for him to hide her from these awful people. To feel him hug her once more, with worry in his eyes. Worry he had felt for her. But all of that was impossible now.

The car entered some sort of garage, and as the door closed behind them, all of her fear had welded itself inside her chest, permanently etched into her heart. That feeling she would never forget. She had known that on the outside, none of it showed. But if she took away anything from the long car ride with Gin Ichimaru, it was that the man always seemed aware of his surroundings. Especially if they had to do with the people in his line of sight. That is what made him so dangerous to Orihime. Her body peeled itself from the car on its own accord.

"Now, Ulquiorra. Would you care to help Miss Inoue with her bags and show her to her new room." Gin had called out to someone that she hadn't noticed was there before. The boy was only a few inches taller than her, and had to be around her age. He had just about shoulder length choppy black hair, and the greenest eyes Orihime had ever seen. He was sickly pale and looked too thin, in the girls perspective. But something about him made her want to reach out and hug him. She did not, however. In fact she did just the opposite. An emotionless mask plastered on her face that could rival the boys, she turned from him and grabbed some of her bags. The boy simply nodded and grabbed the rest of her luggage. Gin turned to her, smile plastered on his face. Gods, she hated that smile.

"I suggest you unpack later, Miss Inoue. Lord Aizen would like a word with you after your stuff is in your room, Ulquiorra will take you to him." She felt sorry for the boy, having to usher her around everywhere. But if this _Ulquiorra _was aggravated with the notion, he did not show it in the slightest. Upon the retreating of Gin, the boy led her down a complicated series of halls and stairways until finally coming to a halt. He slid the door open and walked inside, a gesture Orihime quickly fallowed. Setting her luggage on a green sofa, he stepped aside for her to do the same.

"I will take you to Lord Aizen now." His voice was smooth, but lacked emotion. All the girl did was nod and fallow. Forgetting her earlier assumptions, Orihime came to a different conclusion. She didn't feel so much like a prisoner anymore, more like an obedient house pet. This did not sit well with her. She would rather be locked up and rejecting everything these people told her to do than obediently show them how weak she could be. But first she had to assess what exactly it was that she had gotten herself into. Who better to answer all her questions than this Lord Aizen. He had to be the one in charge. She would soon find out.

* * *

The room to which she was led, resembled an office. But to her surprise, there was no one there. Ulquiorra instructed her to sit and wait for this Aizen person, and soon retreated himself. Panic hit her as she was left alone. How was she supposed to find her room again? This place was so big. The door opening again made her jump slightly as she stood from her seat.

"I am sorry to have startled you, Orihime Inoue." The man looked to be a bit older than Gin, and way less intimidating. This must be Lord Aizen. His presence demanded authority in a way that was almost crushing. But his smile seemed to have more of a playful spark. One that was made to ease tension, and make you cringe at the same time. She thought she saw violence in his eyes, but only for a second. It was so fast of a glimpse that Orihime had doubted herself. And for a second, she was more terrified of him than she was of Gin. This person was harder to read than anyone she had ever met. And she knew, that if someone was precariously well at hiding something, it meant they were up to no good.

"Please, have a seat." As he took his own seat behind the large wooden desk, she complied slowly.

"I would assume that you would want to know why you are here." She knew that already. She had been forced to come because it was seen unfit for her to live on her own. He seemed to read her mind.

"I know it must be tough to lose all of your loved ones, Orihime. But it is law that you be placed in either an orphanage, or here, to my home. By making you come here, I have done you a favor. You see, this isn't a big organization. I have adopted you, in a way. Saved you from a life in a regular orphanage. I assure you, there will be more freedom here." The girl wanted to ask him at what cost would this extra freedom come with. There had to be a fine print, a catch, somewhere. He smiled when she didn't answer.

"You do not talk much, do you. Fortunately for me, your eyes give away everything you want to say. I have read your file, and immediately became intrigued with your case. Hiding from the law for over a month seems like a hard task to accomplish. I simply ask that you contribute around the mansion. Doing anything I ask of you. And I promise that wont be much until you are settled." This was turning out to be some sort of sick joke to Orihime. She had to play house? Was that it? Surly not. She would have to spend two years here, and do exactly what she could be doing on her own. The girl did not buy his heart filled speech, nor did she believe that this was out of the goodness within him. Something did not seem right at all here. But if she made her skepticism known, she was afraid of what this man might do.

Upon leaving the room, she was quickly knocked off her feet as she bumped into someone. It surprised her when she did not hit the ground. Looking up at the owner of the hands pressed tightly around her upper arms, her face paled. She recovered quickly though and her features turned into a scowl.

"Let go of me, _Gin_." He did not smile, but she could tell he was amused.

"Well aren't you being a bit harsh. I did just save you from falling."

"I thought I told you not to touch me anymore." She spat. His smile was back as he gripped her arms tighter, before releasing. Unfortunatly, Orihime wasn't standing completely upright when he let go. She fell onto her back but quickly held her upper body weight on her elbows. Stepping over her, Gin entered the door she had previously come out of. The girl let out a sigh and sat up. Looking down at the ground in a way that made her hair fall in front of her eyes, she pressed a palm to her face. This was not her home. She didn't belong here.

A pale hand was in her view within seconds. She hesitated for a moment and then took it without looking up. The person pulled her upright with ease. As she regained her posture, she saw that the hand belonged to Ulquiorra. How embarrassing of her not to notice him before now.

"I've been instructed to escort you around for a few days. Until you know your way around. Lets go. I'm sure you want to unpack your things." All Orihime did was nod, looking past the boy in front of her. She was waiting for him to start walking, so she was surprised when he stood in front of her line of sight.

"It is incredibly rude and un-pleasurable to not look at the person in which you are addressing." That struck a nerve in Orihime. Making sure she was looking directly in his eyes, she confronted the boy.

"Well then, It's a good thing I'm not here to please anyone." Ulquiorra's eyes widened slightly. No one, besides Grimmjow, had ever talked back to him before. He was always the one people were afraid of.

"I see…Come." She fallowed him, calmly. This girl had caught him by surprise. Only moments before she had made the snide remark to him, she had called Gin by his first name to his face. Not even he did that. And she said it with such hatred. He was sure of one thing. This girl…did not belong here.

* * *

All of her things were put away within the hour. Her room was quite large. It had a couch that was placed in front of a large fireplace. In the corner there was a small round table accompanied by two chairs. Her new bed was about a full size, compared to her small twin sized one back at the apartment. The sheets were a light shade of green and the heavy comforter on top, black. The white wooden dresser that sat beside her bed was large enough to fit her undergarments, socks, and sleeping attire. But what she admired the most was the large, black stained wardrobe. Her everyday attire easily fit inside, along with her coat, some dressy clothes, and the two pairs of shoes she had brought along.

She had contemplated bringing more, but instead shoved a couple picture frames inside her bag. Orihime decided to put those up as well, on the dresser next to her bed. Glancing over them, she stopped on one of her, Ichigo, and Tatsuki. Ichigo had an arm around her shoulders and his tongue was hanging out of his mouth. From the other side of her, Tatsuki was leaning on her casually. As she stared at it, Orihime recalled that day. The picture was taken before she had known what was happening. Which resulted with the girl in the middle to blush at such sudden contact from her crush. A heavy sigh escaped her. There would be no more of these days in her near future. Shaking her gloomy thoughts away, she had decided to check out her bathroom.

It was decently sized. The walls were a plain white along with all the other necessities. Much to her dismay, the shower curtain was a bit see-through and only held a little cloudiness. But then again who would walk in on her in her own bathroom? She was just being a bit paranoid. The shelf next to the sink was stacked with fresh white towels, Toilet paper, Shampoo/conditioner, a new tooth brush along with mouthwash and toothpaste, soap, feminine products, and various cleaning supplies. This was more than she had expected to see.

Shrugging, she decided a shower wouldn't hurt. Ulquiorra said he would be back to fetch her for dinner in a couple hours. So she had plenty of time to waste. Turning the water on as hot as it could go, the petite yet busty girl shed her clothing and stepped into the scalding hot water. A part of her hoped that she would somehow evaporate with the steam that loomed in the air.

* * *

Ulquiorra stepped out of the shower and into the steamy bathroom, quickly wiping off his slightly toned torso and patting his hair in an effort to help it dry. He then wrapped the fabric around his waist. With one hand, he feverishly wiped at the foggy mirror as his other combed through his dark hair. For the first time in what seemed like forever, he had regrettably been caught off guard. It caused his insides to churn.

What was it about this girl that made him think so hard. She was trash. Wasn't she? Or maybe it was the opposite. She had the guts to stand up to Gin, even though it was so evident that the girl was terrified of him. Maybe, in some way, that put her above him. He narrowed his eyes at such a silly thought. She feared Gin. He feared no one. The difference was apparent. She just didn't know how to hold her tongue. But that didn't stop him from thinking about her.

She was still different from any one he had ever met. She faced him with a snide sense of calmness. Usually when he was talked down to, it was from arrogant men who thought they could win in a fight. Their moves and words were bold and full of confidence. That is, until he put them in their place. But this girl was different. She had snapped the remark at him with a placid demeanor. There was no fight in her eyes. As if she knew she wouldn't have a chance if his temper wore thin and things got out of hand. Not that he was one to lose his disposition. What kind of person would say such bold things knowing very well they would not be able to handle what came next? His eyes grew a bit large for a second as his mind came up with possible solutions. Had she expected him to snap and/or possibly harm her?

Ulquiorra Cifer was always one to know exactly what people were thinking. But for some reason this girl had surpassed his abilities. He couldn't tell what she was thinking right away like he could with anyone else. It was after two hours of his brain stirring, that he had finally been able to read what her expectation of him was. But there was so much more to her that he could not wrap his head around. It was in that moment that he had decided that this girl was worth studying. He would not let her get under his skin any longer.

"You will not fool me anymore…Orihime Inoue."


	3. Chapter 3

**Alright. Time to continue this bitch! Excuse my fowl language. I've been drowning out the world with Jrock and/or Visual Kei Music. It seems I have lost my sense of pleasant conversation. On that note, lets throw a heart wrenching chapter into this puppy. Try not to hate me too much. It wont be that sad. Don't worry, I'll make up for it with a little teeny tiny bit of much needed Ulquihime fluff-ness. Things are going to start happening a bit faster. I promise.**

* * *

It took Orihime exactly six days to figure out the entire layout of the prodigious building. In that time, she had only been acquainted with three other residents of Las Noches besides Ulquiorra. Two of them she was certain that she would not get along with. An abnormally blue haired male by the name of Grimmjow, was the first. And for the life of her, she could never remember his last name. She wasn't certain if it was strictly because it was long, or it pissed him off that she didn't care for the man enough to put thought into it. No matter what she did though, he seemed to take a liking to her. The second person she did not care for was a lengthy man who was all smiles. His name was Nnoitra. He had a foul sense of humor and an even worse habit of dirty talking. The girl tried to avoid him at all costs. Something about him made her feel like she was going to get jumped the moment she was alone with him. Not that she had much alone time.

Every time that she had exited her room, it had to be with Ulquiorra. He insisted, saying that he wasn't one to trust most of the others around Las Noches. After she put up a good argument of how she could take care of herself and that he didn't seem like the type to even trust his best friend, he then weeded in saying that it was requested of him by Lord Aizen. He then made sure to punctuate his statement with how _'best friends' _weren't necessary. She didn't believe him in the slightest. And since that argumentative discussion close to her third day here, she had made it clear that she wouldn't talk or look at him until she had some freedom. He did not back down like she had hoped. Every time she had snuck out to go to the huge library in the building or even just to look around, he always found her within minutes of her departure. It was starting to annoy the girl. Luckily, today was Monday. Being taken out of high school, Aizen requested that she be home schooled. If you would call this a home. So every Monday, Tuesday, and Friday the girl would meet her teacher in the library. It would give her something to think about besides missing her friends or the sharp green eyed gazes of her usual companion.

She quickened her pace to the library, Ulquiorra fallowing silently. Usually he preferred her to walk behind him, saying that he held the authority. But that didn't stop her today. She was excited to get started. Entering the library, she immediately spotted the lazy looking brown haired man. His shoulders were hunched slightly in his seat. The girl sat across from him and Ulquiorra stood against the frame of a bookshelf nearby. She smiled brightly at the man, who forced a drowsy light hearted smile back. This man's name was Starrk. And so far, he was the only one she could stand upon meeting. He was sluggish and inattentive most of the time. But the girl loved holding conversations with the older gentlemen. He was surprised at her intelligence level. Orihime was always the type to learn quickly and remember things she had read. Book smart, is what people had called her.

Her lessons always flew by because of this fact. Everything the man gave her was always finished about a half an hour earlier than what it would take any of his other students. Usually she would ask for something more to do or have a conversation with Starrk, but today was different. An unneeded guest had interrupted them just when she was going to strike up a conversation with her teacher.

* * *

Ulquiorra watched the two engage in their work from the corner of his eye. This was the first time he had paid attention to the girl with her studies. She was unbelievably smart. It made him mad at how easily she would talk to the lazy gentleman in front of her. She wouldn't even dare talk to him in that manor. But as their conversations continued, the more he found himself wanting her to. He had to hold his tongue on several occasions, as to not burst out with his unwanted opinion. Ulquiorra was growing weary of her selfish games. The more time he spent with her, the more he could feel his patience wavering. And that was something that _never_ happened to him before. He was always calm and collected.

He had long ditched the sideways glances, and focused all his attention on the pair. When he was about to let lose the hard mental grip on his tongue, Gin had entered. The tensing of Orihime's body did not go unnoticed. What about this man caused her distress? Every one else seemed content with him. From what he could tell, he was respected. But not by the redhead. It was well known that she despised this man. He let the thought drift from his mind as he focused on the conversation being held between them.

"I have a visitor?" The girl tried to hide her excitement. Ulquiorra kept his gaze on her face, studying every emotion that passed through her eyes.

"Yes, she is waiting for you in your room." Her face fell slightly when the gender of her visitor left Gin's mouth. Was she expecting a male? How foolish of her. If he was Aizen, he would defiantly forbid any of her so called _friends_ in to visit. Especially a male. That thought shocked him and he shook his head visibly in distress. This girl was causing him to lose sleep. It was making him think unnecessary things. His name was mentioned and he quickly snapped back to reality in time for Gin to tell him to take the girl to see her visitor. All the boy did was nod sternly and started walking towards the door. Noticing that the girl was not behind him, he stopped and glanced back at her. As if getting the hint she rushed to fallow.

* * *

When they entered Orihime's room, it wasn't who she wanted to see at all. Her shoulders hung in the slightest and she looked at the middle aged woman blankly.

"Aunt…What are you doing here?" The last time she had made her presence known to Orihime was a couple of months before Sora's passing. Not that she was there to see Orihime. Her Aunt had always favored the boy, saying he had so much potential. _"The little one didn't know when to hold her tongue." _She would say. She didn't doubt her brother had potential. If he was still alive and had the chance to finish his college, he would have been an amazing history teacher. Sora had the biggest heart and was beyond even Orihime's level of learning. The older lady shook a shaking finger at her.

"You!" She spat. That single word was filled with such hatred, that even Ulquiorra's eyes were drawn to her aunt.

"I arrive back in the country only two days ago to find that my Nephew has died! What made you think of not contacting me about this?!" It finally made sense to Orihime. But she just stood there emotionless. After a few moments, her aunt continued.

"Answer me!" Again, the girl hesitated. But as soon as her aunt looked like she was going to speak again, Orihime spilled the first thing that came to her mind out.

"Well, I thought back about how easily you forgot about my parents after they had died. So I figured I'd save the fake pity for someone else. After all, you were indulging in one of your lovers fortunes in a foreign country. I wouldn't want to ruin your double life." Her words were a little above a whisper. They were calm and not rushed, which seemed to get on her aunt's nerves.

"How dare you! He was the only good one left. Your parents should of stopped having children after him. God knows they wasted all their life savings on you! My poor Sora is dead, and you stand here. What a waste. I heard about what happened that night. That's right. You should of died instead! It would of saved everyone a lot of trouble!" Her aunt had all but yelled those stinging words at her. She would not cry now. But she could no longer hold completely strong.

"I think it's best if you leave now. You have over extended your stay." Her voice was shaky, but she held the woman's gaze. Her aunt raged. She briskly walked over to the girl and raised a hand to slap her. Orihime didn't flinch. She deserved what was coming to her. Everything her aunt said was true. She didn't deserve to be the one standing here. But the contact never came. For the first time since starting their quarrel, the two women had regained notice of Ulquiorra's presence. His large slender hand wrapped tightly around the older lady's wrist. She looked at him in shock and horror as she winced at the tightening of his grasp.

"I will show you out now." Was all the stoic man said as he whipped the woman towards the door, shutting it behind them. Orihime stood there frozen, staring at the wall. What had just happened? She was so ready for that strike and he had blocked it. She relaxed her body at that moment. Not knowing how tense she was, the uncoiling of her aching muscles had caused her to tremor and eventually drop to her hands and knees. But she didn't care anymore. Her shoulders began to shake heavily as she sobbed, releasing the immense pressure of water from her eyes. Orihime cried that night until the strain on her body was too immense for her to stand. So instead, she lay there on the floor. Eventually she mastered enough strength to curl her knees into her aching chest, and fell asleep.

* * *

Ulquiorra just stood there. He knew better than to enter the girls room while she was in such a state. So he had just waited. It didn't take long for the sobs to subside. But he continued to remain outside her door until he was certain she was fully asleep. After he had been positive she was no longer conscious, he entered her room quietly. There she was, in the middle of the floor. He had a conflicted problem stirring in his mind. Should he move her to her bed? Or leave her where she was? He examined her carefully. Her light skin was covered in tiny bumps and she seemed to be shaking slightly. He didn't think on the subject any longer. Picking the girl up lightly, he placed her on her bed and loosely pulled the covers over her now semi relaxed form. She groaned and his back straightened instantly. He looked down at her face. Still asleep. Hair clung to her still damp face and her brows were furrowed slightly in distress. He smirked maliciously.

For the first time since she had arrived, Ulquiorra had felt above the girl. She had shown him her despair unwillingly. The thought made his smile become more viperous. What else was this girl willing to show him? Perhaps now he would work on stirring another emotion inside her. Ulquiorra wanted to see every dark emotion this girl had. And once she had shown him, he could bend her to his every will. The girl would be so hopelessly worn down, that she wouldn't be able to hide from him any more.

He glanced at the picture frames on her dresser and one in particular had caught his attention. After giving it some thought, he knew exactly how to make this girl show him what he wanted. And he would stop at nothing if she didn't. Returning his attention back to the sleeping girl, he bent down next to her ear. It didn't matter if she couldn't hear him. The words he wanted to say were burning his in throat. He needed to let them out.

"You will show me your anger the next time we meet, Inoue. I'm looking forward to it." He whispered. The girl beneath him did not stir in the slightest. She was a pretty heavy sleeper. He tucked that information away as he exited the large room, still grinning.

* * *

**Okayyyy so….Fluff turned a bit dark. I guess I have to promise a lemon then. Hehe. And I am not going to explain this separately to everyone. This is an **_**out ****of character**_** Fanfic. You do not need to tell me "Orihime seems darker!" Yes, I know. I wrote it. **

**Well anyway, comments make me work faster. So the more comments I get, the faster I will update. :3**


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